In Ireland the period of 1918-1932 was one of upheaval and
realignment as people suffered the hardship of war and came to
terms with their new national and political identities. It was also
an exciting period, which saw the beginning of a new era in
electoral politics after the general election of 1918. Powerful
influences were at work during this time: nationalism and
socialism, Catholicism, the Gaelic League and the Gaelic Athletic
Association. An air of unpredictability prevailed as Sinn Fein and
the Irish Parliamentary Party battled for the hearts - and votes -
of the Irish people. By 1932, the violence of the early years of
the state was a thing of the past. But how did the political system
that we know today evolve? Why did Fianna Fail become the dominant
political force? With the demise of Michael Collins and Arthur
Griffith, Aeamon de Valera became the leading personality in Irish
politics. Even he realised that he had to adapt to the changing
concerns of the electorate and to deal with their day-to-day social
concerns as well as the highly emotive issue of 'the national
question'. The parties that formulated policies to address social
and economic issues were the ones to survive. This exploration of
the development of party politics in Cork city offers important
insights into the party politics of modern Ireland and is essential
to a satisfactory understanding of the emergence of today's main
parties. It is the first study based on local sources to analyse
the development of the Irish party system and it looks at how the
Cork electorate engaged with issues and interacted with Irish
politics at this critical juncture.